Dalat could become Asian vegetable hub

Dalat could become Asian vegetable hub, says Japanese official

According to one Japanese official, the Central Highlands city of Dalat has the potential to become Asia’s top provider of fresh vegetables thanks to its cool climate and fertile soil. Tadahiko Fujiwara, mayor of the Japanese village of Kawakami, met with Vietnamese officials in Lam Dong province last week to discuss a joint venture between Vietnam and Japan which would help Dalat to grow better fresh greens and in greater quantities. In Japan, Fujiwara’s village is known as a major producer of fresh American lettuce, which earns the village an annual income of USD$150 million. By combining Japan’s experience and technology with Vietnamese agricultural land, Fujiwara said, the Central Highlands city could be responsible for as much as 30 to 50 percent of Asia’s high-quality vegetables in five years’ time.